Local program reaches out to students, parents

Graduates of Heritage Elementary's Latino Literacy Project gained more than just new reading skills.

They learned how to write and make art projects, and met other parents going through similar issues with their children, according to principal Maria Cervantes.

The program is one way local school districts are reaching out to Hispanic students and their parents as the Spanish-speaking population grows in California.

Each week, Heritage parents, some of whom knew no English, met to read books published in both English and Spanish. In addition, they were asked to go home and read everyday with their children.

"I liked it because we read with our kids," said Angeles Ortiz, a parent of three. "We read in Spanish, then our kids read back to us in English."

During the class, parents were asked to read the books aloud.

"Sometimes they were scared to read," Ortiz said, "But we told them we were like their family. If they can read here, they can read wherever."

Valentina Martinez' favorite part was reading the books and seeing how the time with her son improved his grades.

"He started coming home from school with one-hundred percents," she said through a translator. "And since I could read these (books) in Spanish, he would take out his books and read in English."

For Ortiz' daughter, who only knows English, it helped her learn Spanish by seeing the words in the book in both languages.

Participants also did projects such as writing letters to their children and creating a family tree, and discussed their own cultures, since they hail from different areas of Mexico.

But Rosa Alvarado's favorite part was building a camaraderie among fellow Hispanic parents.

"Sometimes we found some of the experiences we were having with our kids were the same," she said through a translator.

The program graduated close to 30 parents in 2006, and Cervantes is planning another five-week class beginning next month.

"The importance is to promote the value of a book and create communication between parents and their children," she said.

"I like the focus. I love the books and the guidance the program gives us."

Reader Feedback

MARZO2008 wrote on Oct 22, 2008 12:09 PM:

" the more these kids learn the better we all will be off. it's not just kids that are illegal that are having problems. there are plenty here as well. we can either let them learn or pay in the end. And to say that they don't work or want to get ahead is not true. they do what most american will not do. we need to learn how to get along better in life because in the end we don't have much time to waste on negative things that will never be changed anyway. oh, don't forget to vote "

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Bob Loblaw wrote on Oct 22, 2008 10:49 AM:

" They learned how to make art projects? I guess they can sell them by the freeway off ramp. "

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t jefferson wrote on Oct 22, 2008 8:46 AM:

" EY change your name to "IAMANIDIOT" then everything will be fair. The small-minded individual resort to racist name-calling when confronted with the truth. See Jackson, sharpton, obama, etc. Hope you like the country you are wishing for, just remember unintend consequences can be a B***H. "

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